Don't Tell
by raspberry gingersnap
Summary: Ryan thinks he’s found Ms. Right in his new girlfriend, Calissa Heights. Unfortunately, Calissa is hiding some dark secrets, and she just may mean trouble for the lab when Horatio’s old rival, Rick Stetler, comes back into the picture... [RyanOC]


**Don't Tell**

"So, what do you think of Ryan's new... beau?" Natalia BoA Vista asked coyly, spotting Eric Delko and Calleigh Dusquesne chatting, eating Chinese take-out, and enjoying the last few minutes of their lunch break in the break room. "She's pretty, huh?" She daintily picked a stray noodle from the edge of Calleigh's carton and sucked it up between her lips.

Calleigh lifted her head, brushing her lush blonde hair from her intelligent eyes and finely carved features. "Ryan has a girlfriend?" she asked, stunned. She momentarily forgot the rest of her shrimp lo mein, and stared up at Natalia, questioningly. "Since _when_?"

"Since a year ago, apparently. We saw her when Natalia, Horatio, and Valera and I went out for drinks," Eric said, sounding disgruntled as he shook his head in disbelief. "Man... How did _he_ manage to snag a woman like that, I'll never know..."

"I see," Calleigh murmured, amused. "So she's a real bombshell, huh?"

"_Ohh_ yeah," Eric grumbled. "We didn't really get to talk to her or anything, though."

"It looked like a pretty hot date," Natalia interjected sagely. "Gave her some really pretty earrings."

"H ordered us not to bother him," Eric continued, grinning wryly. (Calleigh knew he would've taken the opportunity to tell the poor girl some embarrassing stories or something.) The man then grimaced as if the memory pained him. Calleigh figured it probably had; it was a rare occurrence that Eric had to pass up the opportunity to hook a new girl... especially when it was because Ryan (who he was less than fond of, to put it lightly). "What was her name again..."

"Calissa," Natalia said tersely, then laughed. "There's no use in trying to control you, you lady killer. She _was_ really pretty though. No offense to Ryan, but I'm pretty impressed!"

"Yeah, I'm surprised he's been able to hold out on m—_us_, for so long. I know if _I_ had a babe like that, I'd—"

"Yeah yeah, we all know what you would do," Natalia grimaced. "Anyway, we have work to do, Delko. Besides, your lunch break was over five minutes ago." She grabbed another noodle, and then pulled the arm of Eric's coat. "Come on, you big loaf. See you later, Calleigh. Oh, and," she added from the doorway, "I expect you to get all the details about them by the end of our shift, okay?"

Ryan had never been very interested in elevating his status among his peers, and while Natalia didn't have anything against him, Calleigh was the only one that could seemingly get through to him. She was the lab's best bet when it came to getting the scoop on his personal life.

The blonde chuckled and waved a bit. "I'll try. See ya!"

_Hmm. A girlfriend._

— — —

"So!" Calleigh prompted as soon as she met Ryan Wolfe in the reception area. She grinned, harking a brow and easing her weight on one leg, effectively blocking his path. He didn't seem to notice this roadblock, though, until he almost ran into her.

"Wha—Oh, sorry, Calleigh," he muttered, pulling his cell phone from his ear and furrowing his brow at it.

"No problem!" she replied cheerily. "Something the matter?"

"Hmm? Oh, no, not really. My phone just keeps dropping my messages or something... Probably the reception or something. Anyway, what's up?" He dropped his phone in the pocket of his lap coat, and turned to her. "I got your message. New evidence came in from the other precinct?"

Calleigh grinned. There was her cue! "Forget about that for a second. I have something more important to discuss..." she began teasingly. "I heard you have quite the piece of arm-candy in your possession, Officer Wolfe. It wouldn't happen to be the same gal you were buying earrings for last weekend, would it?"

Ryan's face fell somewhat, and he sighed heavily. "Let me guess – Natalia and Eric told you, right?"

"Sorry," Calleigh quipped, "my sources requested to remain anonymous." She smiled mischievously. "But I _knew_ dangly earrings that cute couldn't be for your _mother_..."

Ryan shrugged. "Yeah, guess not."

"So tell me about her," Calleigh prodded, sensing he expected go get off the hook easily. "And what's with all the secrecy?"

"Well, it's not like it ever really came up..." Ryan trailed. "...Her name's Calissa."

"Pretty name," Calleigh offered, trying to get him to reveal more. "Do you have a picture?"

"A lot," he admitted. "But I'd rather not embarrass myself by showing you the whole photo album I have in my wallet, so I'll just assure you that she's beautiful." Ryan said this without a moment's hesitation, much less any embarrassment, and Calleigh felt her smile widen. Gosh, he was just too cute! _He must be head-over-heels_, she mused, to say that without even blinking. Good for him, though; he deserved someone like that. And his girlfriend was certainly a lucky woman.

"How long have you two been together?"

"A year and a half yesterday," he replied precisely. His Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder came in handy sometimes; Ryan had never had that problem about forgetting anniversaries.

"Oh, how great – congratulations! She's a lucky girl."

"It's more like I'm the lucky guy," he acknowledged, though he was somewhat bashful this time.

"I'm sure you're both lucky to have each other," Calleigh allowed graciously. "Anyway, enough chit-chat." She didn't want to intrude on his privacy, and she decided she had gathered enough information to satisfy Natalia's and her own curiosity. "The DNA results for our butcher victim came in, but... it's not a match for our suspect, Daniel Green. But the real DNA match is a much better catch: Darren Silverman." She smiled a little, proud at the gem she'd uncovered, and would have continued filling him in with all the details, had a loud scream not interrupted her.

The two CSIs turned in unison to locate the source of the noise, just as a young woman ran out of the stairwell next to the elevator, screaming. She kept running until she reached the receptionist's desk, clinging to the marble surface and alternating between crying "Somebody help me!" and "He's trying to kill me!"

The girl was in a sad state. She was wearing rags, which had probably once been a very nice shirt. Blood was pouring from her nose and her head, streaming down her back, making her hair glisten and forming a puddle around her dirty, cut feet.

"Oh my God," Calleigh gasped, just as Ryan shouted, "Calissa!"

Immediately, Ryan rushed over, shedding his jacket and placing it over her shoulders. "What happened to you?" he demanded, voice panicked. He was unable to articulate anymore, however; a series of shouts and sounds of a struggle began to erupt from the stairwell she had come from.

"You bitch! You filthy, lying bitch!"

A man wearing knee pads over his jeans jumped into the room. "I'll kill you, you whore!" he continued, waving the gun in the air but finally training it on the girl's chest.

"Put the gun down!" Calleigh screamed, her own gun trained on him. "_Now_!"

The man raised his gun to the ceiling, pulling the trigger. A shower of white sparks rained down from the broken light, allowing several other lights to flash and eventually die as well. The area was illuminated dimly by the other lights that had not been on the same circuit. Another shot rang out, from the same gun, shattering the glass behind the desk. The various men and women who had been milling around the receptionist's desk screamed and fled for cover at the sound of the shots; Ryan pulled Calissa somewhat beneath him, protecting her from the falling shards. At the same time, he went around the desk and then behind it, crouching near the floor. His heart was pounding in his ears, and adrenaline was pumping through his veins to the point where he was trembling. He moved to stand. Calissa whimpered.

"You'll be fine. Stay down," Ryan ordered, squeezing her once more before he slowly stood, his gun already drawn.

All the civilians had vacated the area. The gunman was surrounded by three security guards and Calleigh.

"Everyone stay down!" the blonde woman ordered, glancing quickly at Ryan before turning back to the threat. She moved slowly on the tile, glass crunching beneath her heels, until she was closer to the counter. "You okay, Ryan?" she asked, voice still steely.

"I'm fine," he replied, voice raggedy as he tried to keep from plugging the gunman full of holes.

She nodded, and shifted her shoulders to get better aim. "I won't ask you again," Calleigh said slowly, her voice cold. "Put. the gun. down."

"Or what?" the gunman sneered tauntingly. He aimed the gun towards Ryan. "Or you'll—"

Ryan saw his finger tense on the trigger, but before he could react, Calleigh had already shot him – twice. Once in the chest, once in the stomach. He fell immediately onto his stomach, blood pouring out of the wounds in thick ooze and forming a pool around him. An officer kicked his gun away and checked his pulse.

"He's dead," he reported, and the tension in the room nearly dissipated.

Ryan holstered his gun, and looked at Calleigh, who was staring at the body grimly. "You—"

"Don't mention it," Calleigh replied brusquely. "Get her to the hospital. I'll tell H to meet you there. Go around back; she can't see this."

Ryan nodded, looking down at Calissa. She was in no shape to walk. He managed to get her to stand, and then scooped her up, careful not to touch her wounds. Then, he ran towards the back exits, thankful for the sound of the ambulance bells outside.


End file.
